F1 news 2021: France Grand Prix, practice session results, Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo
Mercedes performed well in practice at the French Grand Prix, but they were furious about a part of the circuit that caused damage to its car.
Mercedes has rebounded from a poor showing at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in the opening first practice session in France, but it wasnтАЩt without some serious stress.
Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton posted the first and second fastest times in P1, with Red BullтАЩs Max Verstappen just behind in third.
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But it wasnтАЩt completely smooth sailing for Mercedes, evident in a fiery radio exchange between team manager Ron Meadows and FIA race director Michael Masi.
The Mercedes pit wall boss was furious about damage caused to BottasтАЩ car when he ran wide on Turn two of the Circuit Paul Ricard.
The Finn bounced over the kerb, resulting in his front wing taking a battering.
тАЬThose yellow rumble strips on the exit of (turn) two have done an awful lot of damage to our car. TheyтАЩre just too aggressive,тАЭ Meadows complained over FIA radio.
тАЬTheyтАЩre the 50mm ones we normally have in a lot of places Ron and they were actually there in 2019,тАЭ Masi retorted.
тАЬWell, all IтАЩm telling you is our carтАЩs rooted because we went over them,тАЭ Meadows replied.
тАЬWe canтАЩt say: тАШWell you shouldnтАЩt go thereтАЩ because thatтАЩs tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of poundsтАЩ damage by going three foot too wide.тАЭ
Masi gave a sassy response, implying the damage was simply due to driver error.
тАЬItтАЩs a bit more than three foot but IтАЩll have a look, thank you,тАЭ he said.
Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo showed promising signs in the first practice session in France, notching up the sixth fastest time on the grid.
The Australian will be pleased to have driven faster than his McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who was a fraction slower to be ninth fastest.
Following two disappointing performances on the streets of Monte Carlo and Baku, F1 star Ricciardo is looking forward to the тАЬmore forgivingтАЭ tracks of France and Belgium.
The 31-year-oldтАЩs underwhelming maiden season with McLaren continued in Monaco and Azerbaijan, with the Australian placing 12th and ninth respectively on the street circuits.
Ricciardo has conceded he is still adapting to the MCL35M, but believes he can unearth some momentum on less frenzied tracks at the French and Austrian Grand Prix.
